The arrival of online sports betting in Florida will likely have far-reaching implications for the state's sports industry and tourism, according to sports experts at Florida Atlantic University.
The arrival of online sports betting in Florida will likely have far-reaching implications for the state's sports industry and tourism, according to sports experts at Florida Atlantic University.
Dan Cornelly, assistant director of the Sports Management MBA program in FAU's College of Business, said the Hard Rock Bet app could further increase fan interest and involvement in sports games and generate additional revenue for the state. said.
“It's going to have a huge impact on Florida sports,” Cornelly said. “Fans will want to try betting, which will increase interest in live sporting events and increase ticket sales for the Florida team.”
After a lengthy legal battle, sports gambling will open to all Floridians in December 2023 through the Hard Rock Bet app, owned by the Seminole Tribe, in a 30-year deal that will bring the state nearly $20 billion. This app allows anyone in the state of Florida to bet on major league and college sports games.
The gambling app also has the potential to attract people who have not previously paid much attention to sports.
“People may want to bet on teams they've never heard of or sports they're unfamiliar with. This allows people to learn more about sports they haven't followed before,” Cornelly said. he said. “They will be able to learn more about betting spreads and how in-game tactics can affect the outcome of a game.”
It also has the potential to attract more tourists as it offers visitors a new gambling attraction in addition to casinos. Gambling is another activity that will increase among tourists visiting Florida in the coming years and could increase revenue for these teams through live viewing.
“I think we're just seeing the beginning of what this means for Florida sports,” Cornelly said.
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